South Africa 2007

Which brings me to today. I basically walked around all day long (after sleeping in of course, I am on vacation!). There is a walking tour in my guide book so I figured I’d take it. Included in the walking tour was a visit to the District Six Museum. Basically, what happened in District Six is akin to what happened to the Jews when the Nazis started moving them into the ghettos. District Six was a vibrant if dilapidated community. Strong and lively, a true community. Whites, blacks, coloreds living all together. Until the South African government decided that communities should be made up of people with the same skin color. And from that law they decided that District Six would become a white part of town and all of the blacks had to be moved. The thing that makes District Six unique from other relocation efforts is that after everyone was moved out they bulldozed the entire community. The only thing left standing were the churches. The intent was to build new housing etc. But for many, many years nothing happened in the District and eventually some housing was rebuilt but it mostly has become a commercial district with in the city. In fact, the mall I went shopping in is in District Six.

Thus the creation of townships in South Africa - the townships are the places where the blacks and coloreds were moved to and typically (possibly always) were located far from the community within which they were living. Where once people were able to walk or bike to work it now became a matter of having to pay or buy a car. The creation of the townships obliterated communities and changed the lives of South Africans forever.

The museum is a tribute to District Six and its residents and such a moving tribute at that. I learned so much and am continually baffled at what humans will do to each other…

I bought some souvenirs at this place called Monkey Biz. It is a nonprofit organization who runs this shop full of beaded items for sale (some really cool) and all of the profits go for the HIV/Aids clinic that is upstairs. The clinic provides education, medicine, health and wellness programs for those with AIDS. I figured there couldn’t be a much better way to spend my money than there. HIV has devastated this country with rates estimated at 50%.

Now I’m just taking some time to write and relax. I’m trying to find a place to eat. There certainly isn’t a lack of places but it isn’t really different than eating in the US…so who knows what I’ll eat. The food is going to be better in Durban because of the Indian influence, it is one of the things I am looking forward to about Durban. I can certainly say I am VERY sad to be leaving Cape Town. I really love this place and know I WILL return here…

It was nothing short of majestic yesterday on the tour of the Cape Peninsula. We stopped at many breathtaking places along the way. First was a boat ride to Duiker Island to see the sea lions. The boat ride itself was worth more than seeing the sea lions. The weather was gorgeous, not a drop of rain, plenty of sun and not to chilly.

Oh, it is winter here and Cape Town is considerably cooler than Durban. I wore a turtleneck sweater (new), a jacket (new), and a pair of jeans (new) and was comfortable most of the day.  I actually like that it is this cool out, nights at the hostel involve reading by the fire and drinking tea or hot chocolate.

Ok, lets back up a little…FIRST was yesterday morning waking up and going outside and immediately in front of me is Table Mountain. Clear and crisp in the cool morning. For a few moments I just stare and contemplate that I am here. I realize this is something I’ve wanted to do for awhile and now I’m here. I take some pictures and then I stop and I stare awhile longer because you just can’t help yourself. It is just such a presence in the city. Awe inspiring to be sure.

Then the van comes…then the boat ride…then we continue on down the coast thru Muizenburg, Kalk Bay and arriving in Simon’s Town for some penguin viewing! What a site, they are so darn cute.  Now called the African penguin they used to be called the jackass penguin because the sound the male makes sounds exactly like a donkey.  After some penguin gazing we move on down the peninsula…

To the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. We did a very fast tour of the reserve as I’ve read the best way to see it is by hiking the entire way. There are two light houses neither of which I saw because we only had 30 minutes to get up and back and I knew that wasn’t going to be enough time for me and I didn’t want to tease myself by getting halfway up and have to turn around. There was lots of bike riding and hiking involved in this as well. Bike riding most of the way to the light house which was really cool and then hiking from the top of the cliff to the bottom to actually be at Cape Point.

Then on back to Cape Town. The bus left at around 9am and we didn’t return until after 6pm. It was a really fantastic day. I met some interesting people including this young medical student who just finished doing 4 weeks in a hospital in Soweto (a township in Johannesburg) and the stories he was telling me about the things he saw in that hospital made me shudder. It is amazing what humans will do to each other…

The day ended on a good note when I decided it was time to call the travel insurance company and let them know my bag is officially missing (after 24 hrs). So I did and what I didn’t know is part of their job as my travel insurance company is to call the airline EVERY DAY to see if they have located my bag yet. And then they will call me EVERY DAY and let me know the status, even if there is no news. What a relief! That means I don’t have to arrange my schedule to include time (and money) to call the airline. SO happy I bought the insurance. It doesn’t mean I’ll ever see my bag again, but maybe it will light a fire under Iberia’s ass and they’ll get my bag…One can only hope.

Phew, I have finally reached Cape Town and boy am I glad I have! It is absolutely gorgeous here! I am beside myself with the beauty. I haven’t done much since I got in mid afternoon and had to go do some shopping, but just walking around in general and looking around - there is beauty everywhere. I have to also say that the many South Africans which I have run into today and talked with have been so genuinely friendly and helpful to me. Especially the fantastic gentleman who was able to set me up with a new power cord for my camera so I can charge it and be able to take pictures. Really, that made my day. I could have been wearing the same clothes for the rest of the trip but at least I get to take pictures still

I have no word on my luggage. I imagine that the folks in Johannesburg are sick of me calling. But I was able to open a ticket so that Iberia knows it didn’t make it and hopefully they will find it and get it to me. When? Who the heck knows. And after many, many tears shed over this I am trying to move on, understand I have no control over the situation and am not going to let it ruin my trip. Would it be nice to wear my clothes? Sure, especially the ones I got especially for this trip….but there are worse things that could happen so I am counting my blessings that it is only my luggage that is missing.

Tonight they are having a braai here at the place I’m staying. Oh, a quick word about that…this place is just lovely! It is a hostel called the Backpack and I think it is something like 20 bucks a night and I am sharing a room with 2 other people currently. It is a big place with winding hallways that go outside, inside all around…bathrooms that you access by going outside…lots of neat stuff. I am glad I decided to stay here…anyway, they are having a braai which is a traditional African barbque and I am looking forward to eating! It is going to be tasty.

Tomorrow I am doing a day long tour which will take me to Cape Point - the southern most tip of Africa and awaiting my arrival are the jackass penguins! I am so freakin’ excited to see the penguins it isn’t even funny…I’ve been waiting months for this…and now I can photograph away because I will have power to charge my camera at the end of the day! Lucky me

Well, I’m going to finish this one up. It has been a rough two days. I have cried lots. LOTS. But it is time to move on and enjoy myself, sitting around crying about my bags being lost isn’t really going to get me anywhere and isn’t what I came here to do! Everything in that bag can be replaced, my first trip to South Africa cannot…so I am off. I hope everyone is doing well.

I have arrived in Durban safely, am here for the night and tomorrow I am heading to Cape Town until Friday.  Unfortunately my luggage did not arrive in Durban with me and right now I’m not really sure where it is. Hopefully it is in Johannesburg but no one is answering the phone in the luggage office for Iberia airline…

 how did this happen you ask? It is quite simple. I apparently was supposed to pick up my luggage in Johannesburg to transfer it to my flight to Durban (going international to domestic) however, I was unaware of this fact.  When I checked in for my flight at JFK the lady told me my baggage was checked thru to Durban. I said to her “So there isn’t anything else I have to do?” Her reply was no. And when the lady tells me my bags are checked thru to Durban that doesn’t indicate to me that I need to pick them up in Johannesburg. Lesson learned. However, when I went to the British Airlines office initally to tell them my bag didn’t arrive she couldn’t find it in the system, so it may not have even made it to Johannesburg. I’m calling frantically since I leave for Cape Town in the morning.

But, I’m safe. I got to take a shower and am clean. I will eat soon. I have my passport, money and books - what more do I really need?!

First impressions of Durban are still coming. I took the shuttle from the airport and saw some parts of the city I otherwise would not have. But I’m just here overnight - I’ll have more to say about it next week. I am looking forward to Cape Town tomorrow even if I have to go shopping for new clothes before I can do anything else.

Doesn´t it always seem the best stories surround food? First let me say that I am in Madrid and it is interesting to say the least. First I am shocked at how dirty it is, i´m not really sure why this shocks me but it does, i guess i was expecting cleaner! second you really get a feel for what madrid is all about by walking around - bars, bars, and more bars! from what i read in my guide book and now what i´m seeing Madrid is all about the nightlife (insert smiley i can´t find the correct markings on this keyboard!) it isn´t as hot as i thought it was going to be which has made for a truly pleasant day.  I walked around some, went to go to the Prado (big art museum) but since it is sunday (free entrance) the line was wrapped around the building. so i opted for a smaller, not free museum and had a nice time walking around and looking at the art. I saw a Salvador Dali painting which was new for me!

Then I decided I was so tired not from jet lag but from lack of food (which can´t possibly be true because i´ve eaten so much in the past 24hours!) Anyway, i figure i will dive into the world of Madrid food and try a tapas bar. Tapas are small sandwiches and typically you order a platter of a variety of sandwiches and have at it. So I walk into this place and the lady asks me what I want to drink. My response is ‘cervesa’ (beer) and then i think to myself what the heck am i doing ordering a beer when i´m fighting off sleep like a matador fights off a bull?? But I go along with it anyway…and i´m browsing through the menu and there is a platter that offers two type of anchovies and mussels. I figure, I like anchovies, I like mussels lets have some anchovy and mussel sandwiches. I´m feeling good because I´ve done all of my ordering in spanish and am happy i´ve not made the waitress speak english. well, maybe i should have since a few minutes later my plate arrives and on it are not the anchovy and mussel sandwiches i was expecting - instead there was a plate full of about 12 anchovies - of two different kinds for sure, and a pile of mussels. Also, some olives. 

she puts the plate down in front of me and i have to keep the shock off my face! I was expecting a little bread here! No, instead of bread I got a smallish bowl of potato chips. So, I contemplate the plate in front of me and decide I have no choice but to dig in…so I do. And I ate it all. I enjoy anchovies, don´t get me wrong, but 12 of them on top of the olives and the mussels…that is enough salt to cause a healthy person to have hypertension on the spot! I´m waiting for the salt to kick in…should happen any minute now!

I finish up and head out and figure I should start thinking about getting to the airport so I can sleep a little and be there for my flight to Durban…but then I pass a taverna and on the list of drinks I see sangria…well, I can´t pass up sangria in spain so I stop in…and dude behind the bar makes me a FANTASTIC glass of sangria. here in spain sangria doesn´t come from a bottle labeled Yago - it comes from many different bottles has nice pieces of fruit in it and comes in a very large glass (smiley)! So I sat. And drank my sangria and read my book, drank some more sangria and read some more of my book. Once I was done I started to feel more tired (imagine that) and figured it was really time to get to the airport to get some sleep…

I´m walking down the street and what do I see? a sign for an internet cafe and here I sit. Really though, after this it is off to the airport - i can´t believe I´m still awake, the anchovies must have some good affect on me!!!

 until cape town…or maybe durban…

I’m going to South Africa!! Yes, this is just really starting to sink in as I prepare itineraries for family so they know where I’ll be should they need to get in touch with me, as I look up the various places I’ll be visiting, as I begin to think about what to pack and arranging all of the other details…

Checking how much down time I’ll have either in airports or on airplanes so I can try to guestimate how many books to bring along, how many changes of clothes I need to carry with me, which shoes do I wear on the plane and the ever present wonder of whether I will be warm enough (I am ALWAYS cold). Will my new fleece vest arrive on time?
Travelers checks or no? Rely on ATMS and credit card? I usually do half and half and I imagine I will this time as well. Shipping things home - will the wine make it in one piece? Yes, I’m planning on having some South African wine shipped home!

One thing that makes this trip easier than others is there will be only a slight language barrier as I get used to the South African accent. I’m happy to be going to a place where I’ll know what food items I’m ordering! All hotels booked for the correct times? All flight information in hand so I know where I’m going and when? (LOTS of time on planes this trip) all airport transfers arranged?

I’m looking forward to seeing colleagues old and new, learning about what exciting things others around the world are working on in their libraries, exploring, shopping, eating, and maybe, just maybe a few hours at the beach (if the weather permits). I’m looking forward to my first time south of the equator. Do the toilets really flush counter clockwise? What stars will I see in the sky that I’ve never seen before? Will I feel like I’m a little upside down

A day in Madrid speaking Spanish like never before! Tapas, sangria, people watching, art museums and the sheer joy of wandering around aimlessly! The pictures I’ll be taking!

oh what an adventure this will be…

Here are some of the details:

Leave JFK on 8/11 at 6pm

Arrive Madrid on 8/12 at 7am

Leave Madrid on 8/13 at 12:35am

Arrive Durban on 8/13 at 3:15pm

Leave Durban on 8/14 at 10am

Arrive Cape Town on 8/14 at noon

3 days in Cape Town

Leave Cape Town on 8/17 at 5

Arrive Durban on 8/17 at 7

8 days in Durban for IFLA and fun!

my life is truly, truly blessed. In August I will travel to South Africa for two weeks. One week I will be on vacation exploring my little heart out and the second week I will be at a conference in Durban. I cannot wait. I am excited and nervous at the same time and that makes me realize that this travel disease runs deep

stay tuned…